Preliminary estimate of damage to agriculture sector by heavy rains put at $621M

The preliminary estimate of damage to the agricultural sector due to flood rains from Tropical Storm Rafael stands at approximately $621 million.

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Floyd Green, made the disclosure during a Statement to the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

Green said the storm unleashed heavy rains that led to severe flooding, landslides and waterlogging in multiple key parishes, including Manchester, Clarendon, St Elizabeth, St Ann, St Mary, St Catherine and Westmoreland.

He pointed out that this resulted in the loss of 364 hectares of crops across these parishes, amounting to $207.9 million.

“Unfortunately, we've seen some losses to our banana farmers. Thankfully… nowhere near as significant as [Hurricane] Beryl. [For] our vegetable farmers, 188 hectares have been destroyed, affecting about 1,640 farmers; our plantain farmers did suffer some damage; our fruits... we have about 41 hectares which were lost, affecting 282 farmers; and legumes, about 38 hectares that have been lost, about $2.8 million in losses,” Green said.

So far, a total of 5,062 farmers were affected by crop losses, resulting in significant financial setbacks for these individuals and their families.

In relation to livestock, Green said the total loss to the sector totals $31 million, with impacts primarily felt by poultry, pigs and small ruminants farmers.

A breakdown of the livestock losses show that 23,209 broilers were lost, affecting 1,106 farmers and valued $3.83 million; 569 layers were lost, impacting 52 farmers with losses totalling $10.24 million; 134 pigs were lost, affecting 56 farmers and valued $4.02 million; 12 beef cattle were lost, impacting 11 farmers with losses of $840,000; 334 goats were lost, affecting 118 farmers, valued $11.69 million; and 16 bee colonies were lost, impacting eight farmers and valued $480,000.

“Despite these numbers, the overall losses to the sector from the passage of Rafael [are] much less than Hurricane Beryl. Where we saw the most significant loss was in relation to our farm roads. In fact, the estimated cost of road repairs stands at about $382 million, affecting 191 farm roads which are critical to transporting goods from farms to markets,” Green noted.

Meanwhile, he said the Ministry will continue to help the farmers affected by Tropical Storm Rafael.

“All of this is preliminary, as the rains continue and the Meteorological Service has issued an advisory for increased rainfall this week. As such, we have asked the RADA (Rural Agricultural Development Authority) team to stay out in the field before we outline a comprehensive programme of response to see what other damage is caused by these systems that are still out there,”  Green said.

- JIS News

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